I received this email: Why are the churches and employers not authorities?
Both church and employment are on a voluntary basis. If they were an authority, we would not be able to leave at any time we chose.
If we are not satisfied with a church, we have nothing forcing us to stay and endure.
Church
There are no New Testament indicators that one has to submit to a pastor or elders. There is, however, Scripture that commands us to submit ourselves one to another, but nowhere specific to a hierarchy in the church.
Two verses that one might point to are Heb. 13:17 “Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you”. There is not a specific indicator that this is a church setting rather than a government command.
Even if it might be an edict to the church, the word ‘obey’ has more depth of meaning in the Greek as: to convince (by argument, true or false); by analogy to pacify or conciliate (by other fair means); reflexively or passively to assent (to evidence or authority), to rely (by inward certainty): - agree, assure, believe, have confidence, be content, make friend, obey, persuade, trust, yield.
The only other verse in the New Testament, that commands this type submission is in 1PE 2:13 “Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right”. This again is specific to governmental authority.
Employment
In the Old Testament, when one was employed, it was generally for a day, but could have been longer. It is akin to our “day labor” office. One would stand outside and wait for an employer to come by. He chooses you, you work for the day, and he pays you. Your commitment is for the day and you receive what was promised, for that day’s work. Matt. 20:1
In today’s economy, one has a choice to work or not for any employer. If you don’t want to work, you can quit. If they were your authority, you would have no choice.
